Eupatorium plant named ‘Summer Snow’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Eupatorium , ‘Summer Snow’, characterized by its florets that are white in color, stems that are green in color, compact plant habit, its early blooming habit, its florets that produce a light vanilla-like fragrance, its wide soil adaptability; from very wet to dry soils, and its excellent resistance to powdery mildew.

Botanical classification: Eupatorium maculatum.

Variety denomination: ‘Summer Snow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEupatorium maculatum and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Summer Snow’. ‘Summer Snow’ is a new herbaceous perennialsuitable for landscape plantings.

The new cultivar is the result of a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. The intent of the program isto develop new cultivars of Eupatorium that are compact, have whiteflowers and an earlier blooming season. The new cultivar arose fromself-pollination of unknown Eupatorium maculatum in July of 2011.‘Summer Snow’ was selected as a single unique plant from the resultingseedlings in October of 2012.

The new cultivar was first asexually propagated by shoot tip cuttingsand division by the Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. in June of 2013. Asexualpropagation has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar arestable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new Eupatorium. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Summer Snow’ as a unique cultivar of Eupatorium.

-   -   1. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits florets that are white in color.    -   2. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits stems that are green in color.    -   3. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits a compact plant habit.    -   4. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits an early blooming habit.    -   5. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits florets that produce a light        vanilla-like fragrance.    -   6. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits wide soil adaptability; from very wet        to dry soils.    -   7. ‘Summer Snow’ exhibits excellent resistance to powdery        mildew.

The new cultivar of Eupatorium can be readily distinguished from othercultivars of Eupatorium known to the Inventor. The seed parent of‘Summer Snow’ differs from ‘Summer Snow’ in having larger leaves, alater blooming period, and a taller plant height. ‘Summer Snow’ can bemost closely compared to Eupatorium maculatum ‘Snowball’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 22,869) and Eupatorium fistulosum ‘Ivory Tower’ (not patented).Both cultivars are similar to ‘Summer Snow’ in having florets that arewhite in color and similar plant height. ‘Snowball’ differs from ‘SummerSnow’ in having a later blooming period, produces no flower fragranceand stems that are glabrous with no pubescence. ‘Ivory Tower’ differsfrom ‘Summer Snow’ in having a later blooming period, poor resistance topowdery mildew, stems that are hollow and stems that are glabrous withno pubescence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of a 3-year-old plant of the new Eupatoriumas grown outdoors in a trial plot in Glencoe, Ill.

FIG. 1 was taken in July and provides a view of the plant habit of‘Summer Snow’ in bloom.

FIG. 2 was taken in July and provides a side view of 2 plants of ‘SummerSnow’.

FIG. 3 was taken in July and provides a close-up view of theinflorescences of ‘Summer Snow’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the newEupatorium.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of one year old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in 2-quart containers. The description of theplant habit and mature height and spread were observed on 3 to 5year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in a trial bed in Glencoe,Ill. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming season.—5 to 6 weeks from early July through mid to            late August in northern Illinois.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial with tall upright stems.        -   Height and spread.—A 2 year-old plant reaches 120 cm in            height, 80 cm in width, a 3 year-old plant reaches 160 cm in            height and 150 cm in width.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 7.        -   Diseases resistance.—Excellent resistance to powdery mildew            when grown in comparison trials with other cultivars of            Eupatorium.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Shoot tip cuttings and division.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem color.—146C with spots of 137C.        -   Stem surface.—Ridged with short stuff hairs (rough to            touch).        -   Stem size.—About 41 cm in length (to base of primary            peduncle) and 9 mm in width.        -   Branching habit.—Basal branches.        -   Internode length.—Average of 3.5 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate-elliptic.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf margin.—Serrate.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, only conspicuous on lower surface,            color upper and lower surface 146D.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Variable, primarily whorls or alternate.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 11 per stem portion 22 cm in length.        -   Leaf surface.—Dull and glabrous on upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young and mature upper surface N137A, young and            mature a lower surface; 147B.        -   Leaf size (fully expanded).—Average of 19 cm in length and 6            cm in width when mature.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Cymose panicle of composite            inflorescences comprised of disk florets only.        -   Inflorescence size.—Cymose panicle; an average of 30 cm in            height and 20 cm in width, composite; an average of 1 cm in            length and 5 mm in width.        -   Inflorescence number.—1 panicle per stem, an average of 16            cymes per panicle, an average of 100 composite            inflorescences per cyme.        -   Peduncles.—Round in shape, primary peduncle is an average of            15 cm in length and 4 mm in width, secondary peduncles (on            cymes) are an average of 8 cm in length and 3 mm in width,            tertiary peduncles are an average of 4 cm in length and 32            mm in width, peduncles of composites is an average of 3 mm            in length and 1 mm in width, 144D in color with primary            peduncle having spots of 137B, surface is pubescent, average            internode length for secondary peduncles is 6 cm, peduncle            leaves on primary and secondary peduncles (an average of 14            per panicle) are up to 8.5 cm in length and 1.7 mm in width            on petioles up to 7 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width (all            other leaf and petiole characteristics match stem leaf).        -   Pedicels.—None.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Oblong in shape, 7 mm in length in depth            and 2.5 mm in diameter, color 155C with bracts at very base            138A, surface in imbricate due to bracts.        -   Flower fragrance.—Very slight, vanilla-like.        -   Persistence of flowers.—Persistent.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 weeks.-   Involucral bracts:    -   -   Bract number.—Average of 12.        -   Bract arrangement.—Imbricate.        -   Bract size.—An average of 34 mm in length and 1.5 mm in            width.        -   Bract color.—155C and suffused with 137C on both surfaces.        -   Bract texture.—Both surfaces glabrous and shiny.        -   Bract apex.—Acute.        -   Bract base.—Cuneate to attenuate.        -   Bract margins.—Entire.        -   Bract shape.—Lanceolate to linear.-   Disk flowers (perfect):    -   -   Number.—About 12.        -   Shape.—Tubular, corolla is fused.        -   Size.—About 8 mm in length and 1 mm in width.        -   Color.—155B and suffused slightly near base with 144C.        -   Receptacle.—Conical, about 2 mm in height and width, 137C in            color.        -   Phyllaries.—Numerous, very fine, an average of 6 mm in            length, 155C in color with base 144C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—1, stigma; linear, about 2 mm in length and <1 mm            in diameter, 155B in color, style; about 8 mm in length,            155B in color, ovary superior; <1 mm in width and 2 mm in            length, lanceolate in shape, 144C in color.        -   Stamens.—About 4, filaments; 5 mm in length, 155B in color,            anthers; 1.5 mm in length, about 200B in color, pollen; none            observed.        -   Fruit and seed.—Not observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Eupatorium plant named‘Summer Snow’ as described and illustrated herein.